Paint can holder mounting device



June 27, 1961 F. A. WHITNEY 2,990,152

PAINT CAN HOLDER MOUNTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

2 7mm: A Min-wax June 27, 1961 F. A. WHITNEY 2,990,152

PAINT CAN HOLDER MOUNTING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1NVEN TOR. BY fizazm'fl Maw/m:

HIIURNEK United States Patent ice 2,990,152 PAINT CAN HOLDER MOUNTINGDEVICE Frank A. Whitney, 17251 Hanover St., Allen Park, Mich. Filed Feb.24, 1959, Ser. No. 795,069 3 Claims. (Cl. 248226) This invention relatesgenerally to mounting devices and particularly to quick release, readilypositionable mounting devices.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide for mounting, inany desired position along a support, an improved mounting or anchoringdevice of a structural character as to automatically hold against theaction of a weight or other force acting thereon in one direction.

Another object is to provide a device of the above mentioned characterwhich will hold against movement by and because of the action of a forceacting thereagainst in one direction and yet may be readily moved in theopposite direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device of acharacter such that it may be readily affiXed to an upright support atany point therealong without need of screws, bolts, clamps or similarfasteners.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting device of suchstructural character that the weight of the device acts to hold thedevice in any desired position along a support in opposition to and byreason of a force acting thereagainst in one direction.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide animproved mounting device for supporting a paint can holder on the stileof a ladder in such manner that a painter may very readily have thepaint at all times conveniently accessible.

A further objection of the invention is to provide a mounting device ofthe above mentioned character which is eflicient reliable andinexpensive.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the folowingdetail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswhich form a part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ladder and my improved mounting devicefor paint can holder;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the mounting device;

FIG. 3 is a plan view partly in section, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation and taken alongline 44 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, there is shown byway of illustration of the invention a conventional type of ladder whichcomprises the usual spaced apart supports or stiles and 12 connectedtogether in the usual manner by rungs 14. On the stile 10 is shown myimproved mounting device, designated generally by the numeral 16 toillustrate, among other uses, its utility for mounting a paint canholder 18 on the ladder.

The mounting device 16 includes a bracket in the form of a sleeve 20 ofpreferably C-shape in cross section having opopsite parallel sides 22and 24, a joining web 26, and spaced inturned flange portions 28 and 30.The space between the opposed edges of the flange portions 28 and 30 ismade such that the sleeve 20 may be slipped onto stile 10 edgewisethereof following which the sleeve may be turned ninety degrees toposition the sleeve as shown. Also, the space between the opposed edgesof the flange portions 28 and 30 allows for clearance of the rungs 14 sothat the sleeve 20 may have an infinite number of positions to which itmay be adjusted along the stile 10 without need of removing the mountingdevice from the stile. In mounted position on the stile 10, the flangeportions 28 and 30 abut the inner face of the stile Patented June 27,1961 10 as shown and the web 26 of the sleeve is spaced outwardly fromthe outer face of the stile.

In order to provide a mounting device that by its own Weight will beheld in any position along the stile 10 thus achieving ease ofrepositioning of the device, I provide a readily retractible holdingmeans on sleeve 20 which normally acts against stile 10 to opposedownward movement of the sleeve. The holding means preferably comprisesan upper holding member or arm 32 and a lower holding member or arm 34pivoted respectively on parallel shafts 36 and 38 that extend betweenand are rotatably mounted on the sides 22 and 24 of sleeve 20. Aconnecting member or rod 40 connects the arms 32 and 34 for movementtogether, the arms having an efiective holding position with the outerface of stile 10, as shown in FIG. 4. The arms 32 and 34 may be made ofplate stock and be welded each along one edge thereof respectively tothe shafts 36 and 38. The edges of the arms 32 and 34, opposite thoseedges that are welded to the shafts 36 and 38, are normally disposedtoward the outer face of stile l0 and secured to and covering each is anabutment member 42 and 44 respectively.

Preferably, the abutment members 42 and 44 are made of some suitablydisplaceable and resilient material having a high frictionalcoeflicient, such as rubber, so that displacement of the rubber by theweight of the device will enhance gripping of the stile by the abutmentmembers. The arms 32, 34 are urged by a coil spring 46 clockwise, asseen in FIG. 4, to position the rubber abutment members 42 and '44against the outer face of the stile 10. Arcuate openings 48 in oppositesides 22 and 24 of the sleeve 20 provide clearance for extensions 50 ofthe upper arm 32, the extensions projecting through openings 48 to serveas handles by means of which the arms 32 and 34 may be depressed torelease the mounting device from the stile of the ladder. The upper endedges of the openings function as stops to limit clockwise movement ofthe arms 32 and 34 when the mounting device is removed from the ladder.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper arm 32 and the lower arm 34 are angularlydisposed relative to each other to effect the desired holding action.The upper arm 32 may be aranged such that in normal position it issubstantially at right angles to web 26 and preferably the lower arm 34is normally disposed at an acut angle with respect to the upper arm 32.As a result, the weight of the sleeve 20 and holder 18 plus the addedweight of a can of paint in said holder act together with the arms 32and 34 as a lever, the weight or force being distributed as componentsacting at vertically spaced points to oppose the slipping downwardly ofthe mounting device.

As seen facing FIG. 4, the center points of shafts 36, 38 and points onthe resilient abutment members 42, 44 constitute the apices of aquadrilateral and that the force or weight of the device actingdownwardly is in effect tending to overcome the opposing forcesrepresented by the arms 32 and 34. As a consequence, the device cannotslip down except by breakage of arms 32, 34 or by manually swinging themdown, whereas to move the device in the opposite direction it is onlynecessary to lift or push the device to overcome the opposing force orweight.

Any suitable type of paint can holder may be used such as theinexpensive holder 18 which comprises a generally circular flange 54having an extended portion 56 that abuts web 26 and may be adjustablysecured thereto by a wing nut 58. Three rods 60 have their outer endssecured in and to the flange 54 such as by welding and their inner endswelded together in such arrangement, as shown in FIG. 3, to provide athree-point support for a paint can (not shown).

It should now be apparent from the above description that my mountingdevice 16 may be readily slipped onto a ladder stile or other uprightwhile holding the arms 32 and 34 depressed or retracted and with flangeportions 30 against the inner face of the stile, attachthe device to thestile merely by releasing the arms. Upon releasing the handle 5%, thespring '46 swings the arms 32 and 34 clockwise bringing the rubberabutment members into holding relation to the outer face of the stilewhereupon said arms distribute the weight of the sleeve 20, holder 18,and can of paint, opposing movement of the mounting device. When it isdesirable to relocate the paint can higher on the ladder, it is onlynecessary to lift the mounting and load thereon upwardly to and releaseit at the desired position whereupon the arms 32 and 34 automaticallygrip the stile and hold the mounting against downward movement. If it isdesired to lower the mounting and load thereon, it is only necessary topush down slightly on the nearest handle 50 whereby to render the arms32 and 34 ineifective. 7

While I have shown and described my invention in considerable detail itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to any particularuse but instead is to be limited only by the spirit and scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. A mounting device for attachment to a support comprising, a sleevemember to receive the support, an arm pivoted on and within said sleevemember and having a free end to engage and hold said sleeve member tothe support, a second arm pivoted on and within said sleeve memberhaving its axis of rotation spaced from and parallel to the axis ofrotation of said arm, said second arm having a free end to engage thesupport, means pivotally connecting said arms together, and spring meansurging said arms into engagement with the support.

2. A mounting device for attachment to an upright support comprising, asleeve member to receive the support, an upper holding member pivoted toand within said sleeve member, a lower holding member pivoted to andwithin said sleeve member, a connecting member connecting said holdingmembers together, said members positionable to extend transversely ofsaid sleeve member having vertically spaced apart free ends to engagethe support, and resilient means on the free ends of said members toengage the support.

3. A mounting device to mount a paint can holder on a ladder stilecomprising, a sleeve member to receive the stile having oppositelydisposed sides joined by a web and the sides having inturned flangesopposite the web to lie flat against the inner surface of the stile, anupper platelike arm member disposed between and pivoted on the sides ofsaid sleeve adjacent the web, a lower plate-like arm member disposedbetween and pivoted on the sides of said sleeve adjacent the web, saidarm members respectively having corresponding edges thereof disposedtoward said flanges in position to engage the outer surface of the stileto counteract the weight of said sleeve, said lower arm member disposedat an acute angle with respect to the upper arm member and formingtherewith opposite sides of a quadrilateral, and spring means urgingboth said arm members in a direction to engage the edges thereof withthe outer face of the stile.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS618,551 Winslow Jan. 31, 1899 1,256,909 Kroskaug Feb. 19, 1918 1,597,095Martinsen Aug. 24, 1926 2,645,325 Petit July 14, 1953

